Wellbeing revolution: Over eight in ten businesses seeing increased employee demand for more work wellbeing benefits
Over eight in ten (83%) businesses in the UK report a rise in employees requesting more wellbeing benefits in the workplace, according to new research from employee benefits technology company Zest.
- New research ahead of World Mental Health Day reveals that wellbeing benefits are now a top priority for employees – 83% of businesses say their employees are demanding more of these benefits
- To cater to employee demand, over seven in ten businesses (71%) have introduced a Head of Wellbeing
- However, under a fifth (19%) of businesses offer employees a wellbeing allowance as part of their benefits package
- Businesses are in danger of losing out on talent by refusing to invest in wellbeing benefits
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Businesses are putting increasing emphasis on catering to employee demands for wellbeing benefits - over seven in ten businesses (71%) have introduced a Head of Wellbeing role or equivalent. A key aspect of these roles will be communicating with employees over their wellbeing needs – their workforce is likely to be highly engaged on this issue as nine in ten (89%) employers say that their employees are now more likely to discuss wellbeing at work.However, despite the growing awareness of the needs of employees for more wellbeing benefits options, there is still room for improvement. For example, less than a fifth (19%) of businesses currently offer employees a wellbeing allowance as part of their benefits package.By not investing in their wellbeing benefits packages in a challenging hiring landscape, businesses are in danger of losing out on talent which will impact growth plans competitiveness.Despite 82% of businesses investing more in their wellbeing benefits offer, six in ten (57%) admit that employee wellbeing is at an all-time low, demonstrating a clear need for employers to develop these packages even further.Paid mental health leave is the most popular wellbeing benefit amongst UK employers, with nearly a quarter (24%) of businesses offering this. Other popular options include:
- Cycle to work schemes – offered by 23% of employers
- Mindfulness programmes –21%
- Menopause support – 17%
About Zest Zest is an employee benefits platform offering a fresh approach to truly flexible employee benefits. Through its products and services, Zest has reinvented the world of flexible employee benefits for large SMEs and Enterprise customers across the world with its multi award-winning employee benefits platform. https://www.zestbenefits.com/
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